Billy Thorpe & The Aztecs - Love Letters (1965)

(Edward Heyman - Victor Young)
Australia
#2 Sydney #2 Melbourne #6 Brisbane #3 Adelaide #3 Perth

Double-sided hit in Sydney, Brisbane and Perth with Dancing In The Street.

Billy Thorpe (1946-2007): British-born singer, guitarist and songwriter whose family emigrated to Brisbane in the 1950s. Based in Sydney from 1963, ‘Thorpy’, with The Aztecs, had numerous pop hits in a variety of styles, but at the end of the 60s, then in Melbourne, he fronted a loud, rocky, blues-based formation of the Aztecs that contrasted with his earlier pop idol image. Later, his solo and business career took him to Los Angeles, and he wrote two popular autobiographical books, Most People I Know (Think That I’m Crazy) and Sex And Thugs And Rock’n’Roll [AbeBooks link].

Further reading: Paul Culnane’s account of Billy Thorpe’s career at Milesago.

Ketty Lester - Love Letters (1962)

(Edward Heyman - Victor Young)
USA
Influential version
#5 USA #4 UK #8 Sydney #15 Melbourne #12 Brisbane #2 Adelaide #8 Perth

Singer born in Hope, Arkansas, formerly with Cab Calloway’s Orchestra and Ziegfield Follies.

Single on Era label.

Dick Haymes - Love Letters (1945)

(Edward Heyman - Victor Young)
USA
#11 USA*

There were other recordings of Love Letters released in 1945. Depending on the source you consult, Ted Black And His Orchestra or Majestic Dance Orchestra had the original release.

Ten-inch 78 rpm disc on Decca.

Lyrics by Edward Heyman to Victor Young’s theme from Love Letters (1945).

Because the label says From Paramount Picture “Love Letters”, many have assumed that Dick Haymes’s recording was on the soundtrack.

In fact Haymes is not heard in the film but his vocal version was the hit record. It was recorded early in 1945 with the orchestra under Victor Young who also scored and directed the film’s soundtrack music.

See also The More I See You (Dick Haymes 1945).

*Chart position from Joel Whitburn’s Pop memories, 1890-1954 [Internet Archive]. Entry date is 29 September 1945. The film was widely released in October 1945, after an initial showing in New York late August (IMDb).

“Love Letters”: Soundtrack - Love Letters (1945)

(Edward Heyman - Victor Young)
USA
Original version: soundtrack

On the soundtrack of the film Love Letters (1945) with Jennifer Jones and Joseph Cotten.

In spite of what many have assumed, Dick Haymes does not sing Love Letters during the film. I once sat through the DVD to confirm it.

Dick Haymes had the hit vocal recording, but only Victor Young’s melody is heard in the film, repeatedly.

Sources disagree on the absolute original version of the song, but there were recordings released in 1945 before the release of the film.

Elvis Presley - Love Letters (1966)

(Edward Heyman - Victor Young)
USA
Later version
#19 USA #6 UK #24 Sydney #29 Melbourne #30 Brisbane #14 Adelaide #29 Perth

Double-sided hit in Sydney with Come What May.

Frankie Miller - Love Letters (1977)

(Edward Heyman - Victor Young)
UK
Later version
#26 Adelaide

British soul singer and songwriter, born in Glasgow.

He had a Top 5 hit in Australia in 1979 with Darlin’ (not the Beach Boys’ Darlin’).

Alison Moyet - Love Letters (1987)

(Edward Heyman - Victor Young)
UK
Later version
#6 UK

Single on CBS by English singing star (b. 1961) formerly in The Vandals and Yazoo, among other bands.